Correlates of Cyber Dating Abuse Among Teens

Abstract

Recent advancements in technology (e.g., social networking, texting) have created new ways for dating youth to relate to one another, including in abusive ways via "cyber dating abuse." Cyber dating abuse is a form of teen dating violence that overlaps with other types of abuse (e.g., psychological) but also has several unique characteristics. Given the phenomenon's limited presence in dating violence literature, we focus on identifying how experiencing cyber dating abuse relates to youths' individual behaviors and experiences (e.g., substance use, sexual activity), psychosocial adjustment, school connection, family relationships, and partner relationships. A total of 3,745 youth (52% female, 74% White) in three northeastern states participated in the survey and reported currently being in a dating relationship or having been in one during the prior year. We found that experiences of cyber dating abuse were most significantly correlated with being female, committing a greater variety of delinquent behaviors, having had sexual activity in one's lifetime, having higher levels of depressive symptoms, and having higher levels of anger/hostility. Further, cyber dating abuse appeared somewhat more strongly related to depressive symptoms and delinquency than did other forms of teen dating violence and abuse.

Whether or not to engage in sexting: Explaining adolescent sexting behaviour by applying the prototype willingness model

“…This could be part of a larger pattern of sexual coercion. Therefore, nonconsensual sexting could be indicative of forms of relational abuse (Perkins et al, 2013;Zweig et al, 2014). Future research could thus investigate how some forms of sexting possibly occur within the context of (cyber)dating abuse.…”

Snooping and Sexting

“…Zweig, Dank, Yahner, and Lachman (2013) conducted a survey study of 5,647 middle and high school students assessing sexual and non-sexual cyber dating abuse, finding that 26% of students were victims of cyber dating abuse in the past year, and female students reported greater rates of victimization than male students. Another study using the same sample (focusing on the 3,745 youth with dating experience) found that experiencing cyber dating abuse was associated with delinquent behaviors and depressive symptoms, even more so than other types of dating violence (Zweig, Lachman, Yahner, & Dank, 2014). Among young adults, Bennett and colleagues (2011) surveyed 437 college students to compare electronic victimization among friends and dating partners.…”

Usos y abusos de las TIC en los adolescentes

“…Otras conductas de riesgo que se pueden dar entre adolescentes son el ciberbullying (Alfaro et al, 2015;Belsey, 2005;Del Rey et al, 2011;Giménez, Maquilón & Arnaiz, 2015), el happy slapping (Valero, Sala & Moran, 2006), el sexting (Alfaro et al, 2015;Houck et al, 2014;), la sextorsión (Kopecký, 2014), el grooming (Alfaro et al, 2015;Davidson & Gottschalk, 2011;Katz, 2013) o el dating violence (Durán & Martínez-Pecino, 2015;Zweig, Lachman, Yahner & Dank, 2014). Las posibilidades de las TIC no son, por tanto, sólo lúdicas y académicas, sino que también hay que contemplar la existencia de un uso con finalidades violentas y delictivas (Alfaro et al, 2015;Agustina, 2010;Buelga, Cava & Musitu, 2010;Chóliz & Villanueva, 2011).…”